September Philanthropy Update
Join SDBB's Monthly Giving Program
2020 marks San Diego Blood Bank’s 70th anniversary of saving lives in partnership with the community.
Now more than ever, SDBB is so grateful for the community that has funded, volunteered, celebrated, and advocated for us throughout our 70-year history. At a time when everything feels uncertain, we find comfort and encouragement knowing that you care about SDBB’s cause.
Blood and financial donors impact every aspect of our mission, from blood donations to funding critical resources for blood transfusions to advancing research, together, we give life and hope for thousands of patients each year. We thank you for your partnership!
While much of the world has stopped, our mission of saving lives today and improving life tomorrow will not be placed on pause.
To celebrate and honor SDBB’s rich 70-year legacy and sustain our next 70 years of saving lives, we have launched an initial 70-day campaign to grow our Visionary Circle, SDBB’s monthly giving program:
Our goal, by September 2021, is to grow our monthly giving program with 1,000 new Visionary Circle members, with a suggested monthly gift of $5.83 ($70 per year).
Double your impact and help us reach our goal of 1,000 new members by asking just one friend or family member to join you.
Your sustaining monthly gift will help us as we adapt to ever-changing circumstances due to COVID-19 and beyond.
YOUR MONTHLY GIFT IMPACT
If each person gave just $5.83 per month, we would collectively raise $70,000 TOGETHER in one year and every year beyond, impacting thousands of lives per year.
Every day, in partnership with our community, SDBB plays a critical role in saving the lives of those in need of blood. Your sustaining monthly gift will support SDBB’s diverse programs, such as blood donation, COVID-19 convalescent plasma, cell therapy/cord blood banking, and Precision Blood™.
As a Visionary Circle member, you fund SDBB’s annual greatest needs to ensure a steady and reliable support of critical resources needed for a safe and robust blood supply for our community. Without you, it would not be possible.
This year, your monthly gift will help fund the design and construction of two new bloodmobiles that must be completed by December 2020 — this year’s greatest need. One bloodmobile can collect up to 7,000 pints of blood annually, impacting up to 21,000 lives saved each year. Multiply that by two and up to 42,000 lives would be impacted every year!
We hope our 70 years of service to the community will inspire you to become a monthly donor and sustain SDBB for another 70 years. Will you join the Visionary Circle today and help save lives?
With gratitude,
David Wellis, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Sherry Serio
Vice President of Development
SEPTEMBER IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Team Survivor:
Desmond
Desmond was diagnosed with high-risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) when he was four years old. He spent seven months at Rady Children's hospital, receiving four rounds of high dose chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant. Desmond received over a dozen blood and platelet transfusions throughout the course of his treatment. Today, Des is a healthy, happy 8-year-old who loves swimming and playing video games, especially Minecraft. Blood and platelet donations from generous donors have saved Des's life.
FEATURED HOSPITAL PARTNER
RADY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL - SAN DIEGO
For over 30 years, San Diego Blood Bank has been the primary blood provider to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and supplies lifesaving blood products to pediatric patients in need. Between July 2019 and June 2020, SDBB provided 3,075 units of blood, impacting up to 11,115 children!
“We consider SDBB an essential partner for the care of our patients at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. From providing live dashboard inventory management and nighttime STAT deliveries to performing reference testing and consultation on rare antigen negative units, the staff at SDBB is reliable, knowledgeable, and incomparably expert. We are so grateful for all of the work SDBB does to collect, process, and provide lifesaving blood products for our patients!”
FEATURED SPONSOR
REST HAVEN CHILDREN’S HEALTH FUND
We are thankful to Rest Haven Children’s Health Fund (RHCHF) for supporting San Diego Blood Bank in purchasing one Trima system.
RHCHF is a nonprofit endowment fund that assists children in San Diego and Imperial counties with health-related needs.
“Rest Haven Children’s Health Fund was honored to provide funding for the San Diego Blood Bank to purchase a Trima Accel® Automated Blood Collection System as they are significantly improving the health of the most vulnerable children in San Diego and Imperial counties on a daily basis which aligns with our mission and vision. They are literally saving children’s lives and with state-of-the-art equipment will be able to continue to do so for many years to come. The doctors, technicians and staff are so committed, and Rest Haven is privileged to partner with them to support their amazing work.”
Featured Funding Priority
FIVE NEW TRIMA SYSTEMS
Currently, five (5) new Trima apheresis systems are needed to support the collection of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP). Eventually, these systems will also support blood collections at our six regional donor centers and on our new bloodmobiles.
Impact of TRIMAS
Trima apheresis systems collect, spin, and separate whole blood into transfusable platelets, plasma, and red blood cells in real time.
A Trima apheresis system allows one CCP donor to donate 3-4 doses at one time.
This safe, closed-loop system, returns blood components that are not needed to the blood donor, resulting in less fluid loss and more specialized blood products for specific patient needs.
In addition to supporting the collection of CCP, this technology can support platelet collection long term. Cancer patients may need up to seven or eight platelet transfusions per week during chemotherapy treatments. Because platelet units only have a five-day shelf life, the need for platelet donors is constant.
Trima Budget:
We need $180,000 to purchase five new Trima systems ($36,000 each).
Please partner with SDBB and make a gift that will help fund the infrastructure to collect even more CCP for those who are hospitalized with COVID-19. We are asking for five new Trima apheresis systems to support the development of a comprehensive COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Program.
If you would like to make a gift or would like additional information, please contact Sherry Serio, Vice President of Development, at (619) 400-8188 or sserio@sandiegobloodbank.org.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
STEPS TO TAKE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AT WORK AND HOME
Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care, and learn what to do if you are sick.
Inform your manager if you have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 and learn what to do if someone in your home is sick.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. If your hands are visibly dirty, use soap and water over hand sanitizer. Key times for employees to clean their hands include:
Before and after work shifts
Before and after work breaks
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After using the restroom
Before eating or preparing food
After eating or preparing food
After putting on, touching, or removing cloth face coverings
Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough, or sneeze, or use the inside of their elbow. Throw used tissues into no-touch trash cans and immediately wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. Learn more about coughing and sneezing etiquette on the CDC website.
Practice routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched objects and surfaces such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, and doorknobs. Dirty surfaces can be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfection. To disinfect, use products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, and are appropriate for the surface.
Avoid using other employees’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible. Clean and disinfect them before and after use.
Clean and disinfect areas used after eating on breaks and lunches.
Practice social distancing by avoiding large gatherings and maintaining distance (at least 6 feet) from others when possible.
Make a gift
MONTHLY GIVING — Did you know that you can join our Visionary Circle by making a monthly gift to help sustain SDBB for the next 70 years? Monthly gifts fund SDBB’s annual greatest need.
GIFTS OF STOCK — Did you know San Diego Blood Bank Foundation accepts appreciated gifts of stock with tax benefits for the donor? For more information on how to donate your stock, please contact Sherry Serio, Vice President of Development, at 619-400-8188 or sserio@sdbb.org.
MATCHING GIFTS — Ask your employer if your company has an employee matching program. Double your impact and encourage corporate giving to local nonprofits like SDBB.
COMMUNITY AND DIY FUNDRAISING — Partner with SDBB and fundraise with your company, team or for a special event and give back to SDBB! Donate your birthday with a Facebook fundraiser or join our SDBB Ambassador program to help crowdfund the purchase of Trima systems. Contact Cherryl Castro-Lector, Development Manager, at cclector@sdbb.org.
HELPFUL LINKS
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on special events, philanthropy updates, news, announcements and more by joining the Foundation’s mailing list.AMAZON SMILE
Set San Diego Blood Bank as your charity on Amazon.Smile and Amazon gives when you shop!FINANCIAL INFORMATION
View our Tax ID or important financial information.CONTACT FOUNDATION
Send us a note with any questions about SDBB Foundation, ways to make a gift, or how to get involved.
THANK YOU TO OUR TOP SPONSORS
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
In partnership with our community, San Diego Blood Bank Foundation is the fundraising entity that supports critical resources for blood donations, advances San Diego Blood Bank’s critical healthcare role, and fuels collaboration with cutting-edge research and clinical organizations to advance cell therapy and precision medicine.
